The UK is bracing for a wintry weekend after numerous wind and snow warnings were issued across the country ahead of Storm Dave’s arrival on Saturday.
Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales, and parts of northern England are due to come under warnings from Saturday evening until the early hours of Easter Sunday.
Gusts of 50 to 60mph are expected widely across all warning areas, with 60 to 70mph winds possible in exposed locations. Heavy snow will accompany the winds in northern Scotland, where “blizzard conditions” are forecast.
The Met Office deputy chief forecaster Tom Crabtree, said: “Storm Dave will form and rapidly deepen on Saturday as it approaches the UK from the west.
“As well as strong winds, Storm Dave will also bring heavy snowfall over the hills in northern Scotland where up to 10-20cm of snow could accumulate. Along with the strong winds this will lead to blizzard conditions. Elsewhere there will be heavy spells of rain as the system moves through eastwards across the UK.
“With Storm Dave a few days away, people should prepare their property for the strong winds and keep updated with the latest weather forecast as the weather warnings are likely to be updated.”
A yellow wind warning comes into force at 5pm on Saturday for areas in North East England, North West England, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders, Strathclyde, Wales, and Yorkshire & Humber and will remain in place until 7am on Sunday.
Storm Dave is forecast to bring winds of 50 to 60 mph to these areas on Saturday night.
The rest of Scotland is under a wind warning from 6pm on Saturday until midday on Sunday, with gusts of 80 to 90 mph possible in exposed areas.
A snow warning is also in place for Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, Highlands & Eilean Siar, and Strathclyde, where snow of up to 5 to 10cm could accumulate in areas over 200m in elevation. Temperatures could drop to 0C in northern parts of Scotland on Saturday morning.
A 12-hour wind warning is issued for Northern Ireland from 2pm on Saturday, with strong gusts possibly causing damage and travel disruption.
Met Office weather forecast
Saturday
Storm Dave moves northwards across Northern Ireland and western Scotland, bring cloud, rain and strong winds. Coastal gales likely here, but drier further south. Stay windy but mild.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday
Sunday begins with heavy rain, hill snow and gales, followed by showers mainly north. Monday turns clearer, frosty and dry. Tuesday sees cloud and patchy rain west, warm east.
